The RFS Turns 10

  • Friday, 07 August 2015 00:00

The best energy policy over the last 40 years - the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) - turns 10 tomorrow!

 Refinery 1

Guardian Energy's 100 million gallon ethanol plant in Janesville, MN

The RFS was originally part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that was signed by President George W. Bush on Aug 8 and was intended to increase the amount of biofuels to be mixed with gasoline in the United States. It was created in collaboration with, among others, renewable fuel producers and petroleum refiners.

Back then, as it is now, the RFS' goal was to reduce gas prices, harmful greenhouse gas emissions and America's dependence on foreign oil. And the RFS has delivered on all these goals (as well as boosting the economy in rural America and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs).

The renewable volume obligation (RVO) targets that we are familiar with today - and which the EPA is constantly trying to change - were later included in the RFS under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) in 2007. 

So let's the keep the RFS strong. And ff you have a flex fuel vehicle, celebrate the RFS this weekend by filling up on some E85!